The Life Alchamist
by zati shal
Summary: Edward Elric and Winery Rockbell have lived long enough, a young wizard by the name of Harry Potter impresses them enough to make them take on an Apprentice. How will an Alchemic Harry change the world? Dumbledore bashing, couples undecided
1. Chapter 1: Old Goats

**I do not own Harry Potter or Fullmetal Alchemist.  
>Chapter 1: <strong>Messing with Old Goats

**AN:** Please understand that I do most of my fanfiction as a way to clear my head so I can work on my Published stories or test out ideas for those stories. if at any time you want to adopt one of my stories all you need to do is send me a PM with the reason why and a basic idea of where you would take the story based on the information you have. if i like it i will let you take it, but i may also give it to a few others, or continue to work on my own version.

now on to the story  
>.o0o.<p>

Nicholas Flamel sighed as he looked down at the letter his wife had handed him a few moments ago. Apparently that fool Voldemort really was alive still. Somehow the bastard had kept his soul from passing through The Gate and stuck on this plane of existence. Then the 'dark lord' further proved his idiocy by going after the fake philosophers stone he had given Albus to test his theory. I mean honestly who was stupid enough to just give up something that gave you eternal life to be left in a school full of overly curious children and then advertise it. Nicholas and Perenelle had been alive a long time and seen many things throughout their long lives. Dark Lords where nothing new to them. For a while they had allowed themselves to be at the front of almost every conflict for a few hundred years. As time wore on though the two became weary of the conflicts of this world and yearned to get back to their own research.

Nicholas smiled as he remembered Amestris and his time as a State Alchemist. It saddened him at the same time though. He knew he could never go back. To stop Father from absorbing Truth and becoming an unstoppable force Ed, Al, Colonel Mustang, Teacher, Winery, and Hoenhiem had combined their power to disassemble Father and all his Homunculi. As the price all six of them had been pulled into The Gate and sent to various worlds. Ed and Winery had woken up in this one holding the red stone that had caused them so much trouble. When it became apparent that their names where odd in the country they had appeared in they changed them. Edward Elric became known as Nicholas Flamel and Winery became Perenelle Lyanova and later Flamel when they married. For years the split their time between furthering their research into ways to open The Gate in this realm and helping fight the dark forces of the realm but eventually Nicholas had begun to get frustrated that he couldn't open the gate and started focusing solely on researching a way to open the gate without human transmutation. And now Nicholas was getting bored, which was never good.

Nicholas looked up at Perenelle and smirked, light shining in his golden eyes, "let's go to Hogwarts and meet this Harry Potter. If I remember correctly it was a Potter that spurred along our research into thermal Alchemy back in the 1500's wasn't it? Maybe another Potter can spur our current research along no?" Perenelle smirked; any chance to mess with that child Albus was always good in her book, and from what she remembered of Lily and James Potter any chance to help their kid would be a good way to honor that memory.

.o0o.

Harry opened his eyes and instantly shut them again as light flooded his photoreceptors. When he opened them again he realized he was in the infirmary. How did he get here again? That's right the damn third floor corridor and snake breath. Harry grimaced as he remembered what he had done to Professor Quirell. The man may have been a servant to the man that killed his parents but feeling a man literally burn away under your fingers was not something an eleven year old child wanted to remember.

He turned his head to see a pile of chocolates and get well cards. _That's odd, the only ones who I really hung out with all year where Hermione and Ron, something I need to change, who else would send me cards in the hospital._

"Gifts and well-wishes from your various admirers Harry," Came Dumbledore's voice as the aged Headmaster entered the ward, resplendent in a flamboyant blue and gold robe. Harry grimaced at his brightness, why the hell was he so cheery, a group of students had been in mortal danger and a Dark Lord almost on the verge of return. "The tragic accident that happened on the third floor Corridor between you and Professor Quirell is a secret, so naturally the whole school knows." He said brightly.

_Great more fame for stuff I don't want credit for._Harry thought as he grimaced, "and why is that a good thing sir?" Harry said with a little more venom then he had intended.

Dumbledore lost his twinkle for a moment but then got it back as he said, "I didn't mean to sound that way my boy I'm sorry. Now I am sure you have some questions I will be sure to answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability." Dumbledore trailed off indicating Harry should ask.

"Hermione and Ron, are they alright?" Harry asked despite his current dislike of the old man.

"Alas your brave comrades are doing quite well, young Ronald only suffered a broken arm, which was mended as soon as he got back to the infirmary and miss Granger was lucky enough as to not receive all that much damage at all."

Harry nodded, "And the stone?"

Just as he said this the doors to the infirmary swung open again to admit a couple who seemed to be in their late thirties. The male had long golden hair, braided in the back and at mid back length. His beard was close cropped and neat with startling gold eyes. He wore a red over robe with white gloves and combat boots over a set of black dress shirt and slacks, Harry could see a silver chain going from one of the belt loops to the pocket of the outer robe.

The woman had shoulder length blond hair and piercing blue eyes. She wore a comfortable cream colored summer dress with a red over robe and roman sandals. "Is this him Albus?" she asked in a light tone but the steel in her eyes told Harry that she had some form of dislike for the headmaster. Her husband just stood off to the side and smirked, they both looked kind on the outside but Harry's sixth sense was telling him these two where dangerous when angered.

if he was surprised to see them Albus hid it well and smiled at Harry. "Harry might I introduce you to Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. Nicholas, Perenelle this is Harry Potter."

Perenelle looked kindly at Harry and smiled as she held out her hand, "My Husband and I owe you big time kiddo, so we talked and we have decided to offer you an apprenticeship."

Albus' eyes widened at this proclamation. That would ruin his plans, as apprentices where allowed to live with their masters if they so chose. Harry had to stay at the Dursleys, he had to stay malleable. "Perenelle, maybe we can discuss this before-"

He was cut off as Nicholas stepped in front of the old man and smirked, "Albus we owe this young man a life debt, even a child such as yourself must realize the significance of that." Nicholas said as he leaned into whisper in Albus' ear, "you are not God Albus, stop trying to play him and manipulate this poor child. Interfere with this boy one more time and we will destroy you."

Albus paled slightly. He was powerful yes but the Flamel's where two of the most powerful magic users on the planet, it was said that they bested the founders in a duel. He nodded and turned to Harry and said with a shaky bravado, "How fortunate for you Harry. I am sure you will benefit greatly if you chose to accept."

Harry had to stifle a snicker as he saw the interaction between the headmaster and Nicholas Flamel. He didn't understand all of what was said but if two of the oldest and strongest magical people in the world where offering to teach him he would be a fool to give up the opportunity. He took Perenelle's hand and said shyly, "Thank you Madam Perenelle."

Perenelle smiled and said, "Call me Nelly, Madam Perenelle makes me sound old."

Nicholas had a bit of a coughing fit at that point that sounded a bit like 658. Nelly turned to glare at her husband "What was that Nick I didn't hear you?" she said in a sickly sweet voice.

"Nothing love," Nick said wisely. She had always been the one more prone to violence of the two of them, no need to provoke her further. He turned and smiled at Harry, "and you can call me Nick," he said holding out his hand.

Harry shook his hand too and smiled at them. "thank you, I guess you can call me Harry then." He said shyly.

"Right, so what do you say, do you want to be our apprentice?" Nick asked kindly.

Harry shook his head in an emphatic yes. "can my friends join in some of the lessons?"

Nick and Perenelle looked at each other as if silently discussing it before turning back to Harry and saying, "some of the more basic lessons, but the bulk of our knowledge and attention will go to you Harry. " Perenelle said as gently as she could.

Harry nodded in understanding, "ok."

"Great!" Nick said clapping his hands and turning to Dumbledore, "we will take him to Gringotts this weekend to get the paperwork all worked out and official so he will leave with us instead of the rest of on the train with the rest of the children. We will stay in our usual guest quarters if you don't mind Albus."

Albus sighed in resignation before putting back on his grandfather act, twinkling eyes and all, "of course not, and while you are here maybe you can give a guest lecture to the sixth and seventh year transfiguration students as an end of the year treat to them?" He asked kindly, knowing that as Alchemists they wouldn't be able to say no due to their belief in the law of equivalent exchange.

Perenelle nodded, "of course not Albus, I would love the chance to talk with Mini again it has been so long since I talked with my old apprentice."

"Well I will go make preparations and inform the rest of the staff that we have guests." Albus said standing, he turned and bowed to Harry, "it was good to talk with you, if you have any more questions please don't hesitate to come talk to me Harry."

Harry nodded and waited for Dumbledore to leave before turning his attention back to his new teachers, "So as your apprentice what will I get to learn?" he asked excitedly.

"I will leave that to Nick to explain I am going to go and have a talk with Mini." She said kindly kissing her husband and heading out the door.

Nicholas sat in the chair Albus had been in before he began talking, "well, we will be teaching you Alchemy of course, but along with that comes Runes, Arithmancy and to some extent Astronomy. But we will do a test this summer to figure out where your magic is strongest and tailor a training program around that. While I would love to have an apprentice to solely focus on Alchemy I'm not stupid enough to think that everyone will have the aptitude for it or that their magic will even agree with it."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that, "what do you mean my magic agree with it?"

Nick shook his head in disbelief, "do they teach nothing at this school?" he said in exasperation, "each person's internal magic aligns with a certain branch of the magical arts, Perenelle is in tune with soul magic, and that bleeds into her style of Alchemy. My magic is in tune with Battle magic; Voldemort's is in tune with Dark magic, your father's magic was in tune with transfiguration and your mother with charms." Nick explained.

"You knew my parents?" he asked excitedly.

Nick smiled, "for a brief moment yes, I taught DADA as a favor to Albus in your father's seventh year, Perenelle taught Potions for the end of that year when Professor Slughorn retired. They where good people and we are sad to have seen them leave this plane." He said solemnly.

Harry nodded, "Wait you said this summer," Harry said hesitantly, "there, there might be a problem with that."

Nick raised an eyebrow, "oh and why is that Harry?"

"Erm, my relatives," he fidgeted for a moment before pushing onward, Gryffindor courage and all, "they don't exactly like Magical people." Harry said nervously.

Nick noticed the signs of abuse, and remembered the big blow out Lily had had with her sister at the end of her seventh year during the graduation ceremony and had to control his own anger, something that he still had much trouble with even after all these years. Weather the abuse was only mental or physical as well he couldn't tell but he wouldn't let it stand. "As our apprentice it is our duty to see to your welfare Harry. If the home you live in is abusive we can remove you from that home and take you to live with us." Nick said seriously and trying to convey as much warmth as he could in the statement.

Harry nodded and sighed in relief, "thank you sir, I- I would like that." Harry said shyly.

Nick nodded and smiled, he looked up and noted that the hospital matron was walking over with potion in hand, he noted the color of it and identified it as dreamless sleep and said, "well I should be going to terrorize Dumbledore a bit more I'll see you in the morning at breakfast."

Harry nodded, said thank you again and choked down the potion before drifting off to Morpheus realm.

.o0o.

Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk reading over assignments as she tried to keep the worry from her mind. Three of her cubs had been in danger last night, they had even tried to warn her of the danger but she had ignored them. She shook her head as she thought of the many mistakes she had made regarding one of those cubs in particular. "Lily I failed you," she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"No Mini, Albus did," Came a soft voice from the door. Minerva looked up startled for a moment and smiled as she wiped the tear away. It wouldn't do to look like that in front of the woman who taught her everything she knew.

"Perenelle, it's good to see you again." She said softly. Perenelle may look much younger than here but she was ever so much older and wiser. "oh, I've been a fool Nelly, letting Albus string me along all these years. You taught me to think for myself but here I was letting that old fool do all the thinking for me."

Perenelle smiled at her old student as she walked from the door and hugged her, "don't blame yourself Mini, at one point in time Albus did have the best interest of the nation at heart, but now he let his power blind him. it happens to those of us that carry too many hats every once and a while." She said softly before sitting across from her.

Minerva nodded, "how can I make it right mistress, how can I correct this mistake?" she implored.

Perenelle sighed, "Nick and I are already fixing part of it, we are going to take him as our Apprentice, and once we have passed on all that we know we will let ourselves go beyond the Vale."

Minerva gasped, "Truly, have you given up your research to go back to your home realm?" she asked in shock. She was one of the few people who knew of their origins.

Perenelle nodded sadly, "there is no other way to open The Gate than by human sacrifice. That is what our research has concluded again and again and we will not destroy innocent life for our own gain. And besides there is no guarantee we would come out in Amestris anyway. The Gate of the Yggdrasil leads to many worlds."

Minerva nodded solemnly, "you will be missed."

Perenelle smiled wryly, "Don't go giving us bon voyage just yet Mini, it will take a while to pass on our knowledge to Young Harry. We will be teaching him all of what we know. That my dear is a fair bit; I have foreseen that he will need every ounce of knowledge in the coming years."

Generally for Minerva, Divination was wooly subject but Perenelle was a true seer, unlike that hack Trelawney "I can only fear for what."

"Don't worry too much Mini, Harry is the beginning of a new Era for our world, a golden Era."

Again Minerva could only accept what her mistress said.

.o0o.

Harry woke the next morning slightly groggy, one of the unfortunate side effects of sleep potion, but quickly became full of energy as he remembered his conversation with Nicholas and his wife Perenelle. Harry remembered how odd it was that they looked so young but chalked it up to one of the side effects of the Elixir of life.

Madam Pomfry noticed he was awake and walked over, "Well, let's see how you are doing. If you check out alright you can head down to the Great Hall for breakfast, I don't want you straining your magic too much. Your core was exhausted in whatever trouble you where getting into so no strenuous spell work until the end of the week you hear, you're lucky exams have passed already." She ranted as she checked him over with a few spells, when she was done she released him with clean bill of health and a reminder to take it easy.

Harry walked into the hall to see Perenelle and Nicholas sitting on either side of a slightly grumpy looking Dumbledore. He didn't have much time to observe much else as a brown fuzzy blur slammed into him.

"Oh, Harry I was so worried, don't you ever do anything that stupid again you hear me?" Hermione demanded.

Harry, who had never been hugged before was a bit stunned and stammered out, "yes ma'am"

Ron walked over with a smirk and slapped Harry on the back, "Alright there mate?"

"Yeah, hey Mione can you ease up a bit?" Harry asked as he noticed people starting to stare.

"Oh right sorry," she said stepping back a bit.

"Well, it's good to see you have such loyal friends Harry." Came Nick's voice from behind his two best friends. Hermione and Ron turned around to see Nick and Perenelle standing there smiling broadly. "Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel," Nick said holding out his hand.

Hermione and Ron stood gaping for a moment before Ron said "I thought you would be taller?"

Perenelle sighed as she saw the tick mark grow on her husband's head.

"Who the hell you calling a shrimp you can't see without a microscope you little brat!" Nick yelled as he tried to strangle the kid, luckily for Ron Perenelle was holding his collar.

Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head, "honestly Ronald, you meet one of the only wizards who could best Dumbledore and THAT is what you first say to him." she hissed.

"Don't worry about it; he gets it all the time." Perenelle said with a warm smile.

Harry stifled a laugh as he watched his new mentor stop struggling to just glare at his best friend.

"I'm so sorry madam Perenelle; Ron has a tendency to place his foot firmly between his teeth a lot." Hermione said a little nervously. "I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger." She said properly.

Perenelle nodded, "a pleasure but please call me Nelly, or Perenelle. Come on and let's sit down kids before my husband makes more a spectacle of himself than he already has." she said as she turned to the Gryffindor table and sat down, placing he husband in the seat next to her.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all hurried to sit down. "if you don't mind me asking Perenelle, why would you want to sit with a couple of first years?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Well, we have asked Harry here to be our apprentice and he asked that we also teach some stuff to his two best friends, so we thought we would get to know you."

Hermione and Ron where again struck speechless before Hermione squealed in delight and again hugged Harry to the point where he thought she may have cracked a rib or two.

After that ran a stream of questions and answers until breakfast was finished. The rest of the week really seemed like a blur as students made preparations to go home and finish their last minute assignments. Harry spent most of the week answering annoying questions and beating back the Slytherins as they taunted him for being attention seeking. He found it all a bit annoying but Nick and Perenelle assured him that it came with the territory and he should get used to it. That didn't really help much but he resigned himself to it anyways.

When the time came for the school year to be over and everyone to board the train Harry stood in the entry way with Perenelle and Nick and waved good bye to his friends and grabbed his suite case while Nick grabbed his cage and all three held onto a boot. When they reappeared in the Lobby of Gringotts with Harry making a tumbling entry Harry decided that he hated port-key travel. He looked back to see Nick and Perenelle standing perfectly fine, Nick trying and failing to hold in a snicker.

"Don't worry, we'll teach you how to come out stable later this week." Nick said lifting the boy up with his outstretched hand. Harry blushed and nodded. It wasn't long before a Goblin noticed who had appeared in their lobby and a manager came calmly over.

Nicholas bowed to the Goblin and said, "Honorable Goblin, may your enemies die slow and painful."

"And may your gold multiply greatly Fullmetal." The goblin said in return.

"I hope it is not of much inconvenience, but I will be conducting today's business in English for the sake of my new Apprentice." Nicholas said kindly.

the Goblin nodded as he looked at Harry, "I was not aware that your lordship took an apprentice."

"That is what we are here to correct isn't it my friend." Nick said with a mirth filled smile.

The Goblin smiled and nodded, "then shall we make our way to my office."

Nicholas nodded and followed after the Goblin, motioning for Harry to come as well. They entered an office off to the side of the main bank room. It was a simple office adorned with very few decorations save a dragon skull with a plague underneath it with gobbledygook writing and a few scrolls and books on a shelf. The Goblin sat behind the desk and pulled out a dagger from his belt and placed it to the left corner with the blade end pointing towards himself.

Nicholas nodded and pulled out his wand and placed it to his left with the tip pointed towards them. "Goblin custom dictates that the speakers of the meeting show respect for each other by removing any weapons from their person and placing it away and towards themselves." Perenelle whispered to Harry. The young wizard nodded his understanding.

"So I am assuming you wish for the proper apprenticeship forms to be brought out?" the Goblin asked.

"Yes and as Harry is raised by muggles and is the last of the line of Potter he is able to sign for himself." Nicholas said formally.

the Goblin nodded and pressed a crystal on his desk and a few moments later an assistant came in, "Griphook, bring the apprenticeship papers for the Flamels and the Potter portfolio, Heir Potter should have been briefed last summer but it seems that he wasn't" the Goblin said sternly.

"Of course master Ragnook," The goblin said with a bow.

Harry scrunched his eyes a moment, "I was supposed to be briefed on what last summer?" he asked curiously.

"Your family holdings, your inheritance, and the decisions the Potter proxy has made in your father's stead. Once you entered the magical world again you became Hair Apparent to the Potter Earldom. At age fourteen you will gain the right to claim that Earldom before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the House of Lords Wizengamot." Manager Ragnook said calmly as if explaining the weather.

"Who escorted you on your first trip to the ally Harry?" asked Nick calmly.

"Hagrid did, why?" Harry asked curiously.

Nick nodded, it wasn't an intended slight, at least on Hagrid's part, why they sent the half giant to explain to a muggle raised wizard his place in the magical world was beyond Nick but it wasn't an intended slight anyway. "Just wondering is all." Nick explained with a smile and a look to Perenelle. She would be having words with the old goat later.

After a few more moments the goblin came back in with a roll of parchment and an accordion file with the crest of a sword and a wand over a quill in a red shield. Ragnook took the roll and the file and shooed the assistant away. He unrolled the scroll and looked it over for a moment. "it says here your last Apprentice was Minerva McGonagall under the direct oversight of Perenelle Flamel nee Lyanova correct?"

Perenelle nodded, "yes she wa one of my favorites."

"And under the stipulation of your family laws you allow yourselves to take an apprentice every fifty years , when did Professor McGonagall's apprenticeship end?"

"He will be under my direct supervision so that family law is of no consequence here." Nicholas said quickly.

The Goblin nodded and made a note. "alright then all I will need from you will to be to sign the contract, and we will file it with the Department of Education. Will you be envoking the right of master apprentice living arrangements?"

"that has yet to be determined but it is a possibility," Nick said calmly.

"If, or when you do you will need to come back here and sign that as well." He said pulling out a blood quill and passing it over to Nick.

Nick turned to Harry and said calmly. "Now Harry this is what is known as a Blood Quill; When used it will draw some of your blood to sign the contract alright."

Harry nodded in understanding and took the quill after his new master and signed it.

The Goblin nodded and rolled up the scroll before opening the file and pulling out a sheet with a lot of numbers on it. "this is a listing of your holdings as of last quarter, including both physical and liquid assets."

Harry nodded and looked at the paper

_Potter Accounts_

10,000,000,000G  
>452S<br>654K  
>in common currency<p>

_Magical company shares  
>50% shares in Clean Sweep Broom Company<br>10% shares in Magical Menagerie  
>30% shares in Daily Prophet<em>

Muggle Company shares  
>10% Apple Macintosh<br>15% Nike  
>10% Dungeons &amp; Dragons Franchise<p>

Property  
>Potter Manor in Wiltshire [under Line Fidilus]<br>Stag Loft in London [unpalatable]  
>Lilly Pad in London [unpalatable]<br>Potter House in New York, New York [Line Fidilus]  
>various other properties in France, Germany, Japan and South America<p>

Harry's eyes bugged out as he read all of this. He turned and handed it to Nick saying, "Do I really own all that?"

"Yes Harry you do. We will have to go and check out your properties once you can claim Head of House, but until then you are welcome to join us on the Isle de Furez where we live; After we talk with your relatives of course."

Harry nodded a little glumly. "If we must; I still don't think it's a good idea, uncle Vernon will get mad, him mad is never a good thing."

Nicholas and Perenelle shared a look, "We will see my boy, we will see."


	2. Chapter 2: Whale Hunting and Learning

Thank you to those who reviewed and please feel free to shower me with them good or bad, i may not always correct mistakes or change something but i appreciate the thoughts.

**Chapter 2:**Messing with whales and learning new things

Harry, Nicholas and Perenelle stepped off the Knight bus, slightly disheveled but otherwise un-maimed. Nick had sent the luggage and Hedwig's cage ahead to the island before they left the Ally, which Harry was glad for; it meant they expected to take him with them. They had all dressed in Muggle Clothes, the Flamels simply removing their outer robes and Harry putting on a set of jeans and a green T-shirt that Perenelle had transfigured to fit him. The two ancient yet young looking Alchemists walked up to Number four Privet Drive behind Harry. He knocked softly at the door and waited nervously while he heard his lump of an uncle get up from the couch wand walk to the door, the floor boards groaned in the front hall, it seemed the bastard had put on some weight.

Nicholas and Perenelle waited calmly on the outside but internally they were both scanning the feel of the house with their magic. On the outside it seemed a normal middle class house but they could feel the sinister nature just under the surface, that and the state of the blood wards that where connected to Harry and Petunia where weak and barley functioning. That was a clear sign that Harry was neither wanted nor wanted to be there. The man that opened the door was rather obese and had the look of walrus or whale. They noticed the look of recognition and then disgust mixed with anger when he noticed Harry, they seemed to barely register with the man as he started to tirade at the child.

"What the hell are you doing here boy! I had to take the day off of work so that I could pick you up in a few hours!" Vernon yelled at the child.

Nicholas noticed Harry flinching back and stepped between the two. "Excuse me sir, my wife and I have some things to discuss with you, if you would please stop berating your nephew so that we may step inside," Nicholas said leaving the statement open as he stepped forward forcing a blustering Vernon to step into the hall. "I'll take that as an invitation inside." He said pressing in further. Harry had to fight to keep the giggles from escaping. Perenelle patted his back and followed her precocious husband into the house. She stretched out her soul magic as she entered and she had to suppress a shudder at the sense of sorrow coming from the cupboard under the stairs.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing entering my house like this? You freaks can't just" Vernon started roaring.

Nick sighed clapped his hands and held his left palm open over the floor. Vernon shut his yap as a spear extended out of the floor amidst a show of magical lightning. Harry too was shocked at his first sight of alchemy but again tried his best to suppress the urge to show it.

"Now" Nicholas said pointing the spear at the man's gut "Shut up and listen to what we have to say or I'll be going whaling this afternoon, and that's against the law. Now I have stayed on the right side of the law for the last three hundred years at least, you wouldn't want me to break that streak would you?" The alchemist asked with a kind smile.

Vernon saw the look in the man's eye and shook his head his neck jiggling like the jelly it seemed to be made of. "Who was at the doo-aghh!" Screeched Petunia as she came around the corner, "who the hell are you?"

"Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel at your service, please we were just about to go into your den to discuss Harry's future. Join us wont you?" Perenelle said calmly gesturing to the room just beyond the hall. She too simply nodded to afraid to speak.

As they walked into the den Harry was in slight awe at how well the Flamel's seemed to keep the Dursleys under control. Although he should have expected as much, he thought, over six hundred years of experience would have taught you how to keep unruly muggles under control. Once everyone was seated Nicholas pulled out a scroll and looked calmly at the two people in front of him. "As of exactly 9:30 this morning Heir Apparent to the Earldom of Wiltshire His Lordship Harrison James Potter," Nick began formally.

"You never told us you where rich boy!" Vernon said in a harsh stage whisper he yelped, as Nick poked his belly with the spear.

"Became the Apprentice of Their Grace Duc De Berry of France Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel Grand Alchemists of the Realms of France and England. That would be us" he said with a smile, "Under the rights of the Master Apprentice code of 1724 as agreed upon by the International Confederation of Wizards Harrison James Potter is allowed to live with us if the living conditions his current guardians provide are deemed detrimental to his learning. So if you would answer a few questions honestly we can assess the situation. If my wife and I were to come here three times a week this summer to administer lessons in Alchemy would you allow it?"

Vernon ground out through clenched teeth, "No!"

"if my wife and I were to come three times a week to administer lessons in ancient and modern magic would you allow it?" Nick asked calmly.

"No" Vernon again ground out.

"Alright that covers it, Harry will be moving in with us until such a time as he is deemed able to live on his own and claim his inheritance, all we need from you is to sign here and we will never darken your doorstep again." Nicholas said holding out what Harry recognized as a blood quill and the apprentice scroll. Vernon snatched the quill up and so glad was he that the freak would be out of their home that he didn't even care that the quill was causing him pain as he wrote. Perenelle snickered as she noticed the disgusted and slightly disappointed look on her husband's face.

"Thank you and I hope The Gate delivers you to a very horrid plane when you die." Perenelle said as she grabbed Harry's hand and they both disappeared with a crack. Nick glared and stabbed the spear into the floor not bothering to deconstruct it, making Petunia whimper before he too disappeared with a crack.  
>.o0o.<p>

Harry looked around in awe at the island he had been brought to. There was a large mountain in the center covered in forest. At the foot of the mountain was a mansion that seemed to be made out of white granite brick. It was four stories high and seemed to be at least as large as the main building of Hogwarts if not bigger. The beach was all white sand and low trees. It was beautiful. "Welcome Harry to Isle De Furez, our home and base of research for the past four centuries."

"It's beautiful" Harry breathed out just before there was a crack that startled him as Nicholas appeared.

Nicholas laughed as he saw the look on Harry's face, "yes I thought it was wonderful too when I found this place a few centuries ago. Your things will be at the house. For now follow me. Perenelle, go get everything ready while I talk to Harry." Nicholas said placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry looked nervously at Nick as he guided him up a path, Perenelle had apparated away to somewhere unknown to leave the two to talk. They walked in silence for a few moments as Nick seemed to be taking in the area around them. Harry tired to do the same but his mind kept wandering to the sudden tension that filled the air. It wasn't a malicious tension, like when uncle Vernon was preparing to beat Harry, more like a tension of anticipation of something…different.

Nick took a deep breath as he let the sound of the surf and the smell of the sea wash over him as he led Harry up a path into the mountain. He hated to do this to Harry but he wouldn't make it as brutal as what Izumi had done to Al, Winery and himself. No Harry had already had a pretty rough life from what he had learned from Albus and Harry's friends. He would understand the concept of all is one and one is all much easier. He may already understand it and this test might not be necessary. But if there was one thing he learned from Izumi it was don't let others teach your student what you know you can teach them yourself.

"Tell me Harry, when you see the trees, the animals that live in them, the sky, the stars that fill it and the birds that soar above us looking down like the gods of auld, what do you see?" Nick asked after several minutes of walking up the path on the side of the mountain.

Harry looked at Nick for a moment in confusion. What did his master mean? He could tell this was some type of test but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what he meant. "I-I don't know sir." Harry finally admitted after some thought, a light pink rising to his cheeks.

Nicholas nodded, "nothing to be ashamed of my boy you are young. But that is what I and my wife are here for, to teach you." He said, sighing on the inside. He really did hate to do this to the boy. "When I was a young boy, younger than you, Perenelle, my Brother, and I set out to find a master of Alchemy, someone who could do The Grand Art without a transmutation circle. She was ruthless in her training, damn near enough to child abuse when she was in a good mood. She didn't want to teach us but we persisted and eventually she caved, and set us to training." They were getting near the apex of a hill and Harry began to hear the sound of some second shore off in the distance. It wasn't the sea, no it was much to calm for that. "But before we could train she set the two of us a test to see if we were worthy of being her apprentices and to teach us the first lesson of Alchemy." Nick stopped and turned and Harry saw that his teacher's face was utterly serious, his kind and joking demeanor was gone replaced by a man who had seen the turn of many centuries. "You have already proven that you are worthy to be my student and my heir Harry Potter. Of that you can be sure. But I shall still administer this lesson to you in the same way it was administered to me." Harry gulped at the look his teacher gave him, "hand me your wand Harry." He reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out his holly and phoenix feather wand. Nick took it and placed it inside his robe. "you will get this back after the test. In exchange I give you this." He said handing the boy a dagger. It looked ancient and yet at the same time seemed to be made with modern forging techniques which Harry found odd. it was the same dagger Izumi had given them when she sent them off.

Nick grabbed Harry's shoulder and apparated to the edge of the lake in the center of the caldera. Perenelle was already there sitting in a small lake boat. "For the next week I want you to think on these words, 'All is one and one is all.' When you can tell me the meaning of that sentence then you will have learned the first rule of Alchemy. At the end of the week we will come and check on you. If you have not figured it out by then we will come back the next week and so on until you understand." Nicholas said kindly.

Harry gulped, "where will I be thinking on this master?" he asked tentatively.

Nick smiled and pointed at the small island near the middle of the lake. "There is small game, wood for fire and a cave for shelter. Think on those words Harry." Nick said before motioning for him to get into the boat and tapping it with his own wand setting it to take Harry to the island.

Perenelle kissed the boy on the forehead and wished him luck. She could hardly help the chuckle that escaped her as she saw the look on his face, "don't worry my dear boy, we will not abandon you but this lesson must be learned for it is on what we as alchemists base our entire belief."

Harry nodded and remembered his Gryffindor courage as he set off towards the small island.

"At least we had each other on Izumi's island, he's going all alone. Are you sure we couldn't have sent Diddy with him?" Perenelle asked as she stood with her husband watching the lad go off, dagger in hand and face set in determination.

"You know that house elf would have snuck food for him all week and he never would have learned. I love Diddy but for this she would hinder and not help." Nick said firmly.

Perenelle nodded and the two of them disappeared a moment later for their house.  
>.o0o.<p>

Harry stepped off the boat and tried to calm his nerves. He was here to learn, and this was his first lesson. All is one and one is all. He had to somehow figure out what that meant while he survived on this island alone for a week. With no magic… best get started on the fire, which would take a while.  
>.o0o.<p>

Hunger. It was a strange thing. No matter how many times he had felt it at the hands of the Dursleys it always seemed like a comforting friend and a devil hard at work at the same time. It let him know he was alive and it sometimes even drove his magic to new heights when he was younger, allowing him to steel or duplicate some food so that he wouldn't starve to death. Even now as he chased this damn rabbit it sped his steps and pushed him forward. When he finally killed the creature it also made him realize he had no idea how to skin and clean it. damn.

A few hours later Harry sat in front of a fire inside a cave, that after some inspection had to have been made by some form of magic, realizing whose island he was on he came to the conclusion that it had to have been alchemy that made it. on a spit to his left was a skinned and cleaned rabbit. He had come across a small garter snake after he killed it and on a whim, remembering his experience with the boa at the zoo asked the snake if he had seen a human skin a rabbit before. The snake laughed at Harry and told him that as someone higher on the food chain he should just suck it up and figure it out himself. That was the cycle of life. You either figured it out or you died. Simple.

Harry had grimaced at that but nodded. Made enough sense to him anyway. He was still pissed that it had taken him two days to catch that damn rabbit without magic. He had caught some fish the first night but not the second, the second he had started to hunt the rabbit.

He sighed and began to mull his teacher's words over in his head again. All is one and one is all, as alchemists this is what we base our entire beliefs on. What had he seen of alchemy, of life that would relate to this.  
>.o0o.<p>

:So you leave inn two days speaker?: the snake asked calmly as the two of the sat watching the lake on the rocky beach of their small island.

Harry nodded, he hated that the snake wouldn't use his name but he had come to like the serpent in the five days he had been on the island. Hedwig did too. She had joined him yesterday, after waiting for her master to return from his training for three days she had become frustrated and simply flew out of the mansion of the ancient ones, even if they didn't want her to help him that didn't mean she couldn't join him. : Yes Ophion I leave soon, I have learned what my teacher set for me to learn. One is all and all is one: Harry said simply.

: Stupid thing to learn,: the snake scoffed tossing its head to the side, :All snakes know what a simple proverb like that means. Why the snakes as great as we are, are the symbol of that statement. We are eternity, we are the very center of the cycle.: Ophion explained as Harry looked at the snake curiously.

: Then why didn't you tell me that when we first met and I asked it of you?: Harry asked in frustration.

: If you understand the proverb you should know the answer to that question as well child.:

Harry nodded, if he did not know he had to work for it to learn its meaning, give and take. It was the nature of the universe. Even in magic, which would seem to scoff at this, and yet in a way it didn't. Each spell required an amount of energy and it had rules, that if broken would see you either destroyed or in failure.

:I shall join you when you leave boy, I grow tired of this island and wish to see the outside world once again, see what truth I may find as I join you: Ophion said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Harry chuckled. He could sense something was different about this snake. Not that he knew many snakes. But his magic was telling him there was something different about it. The creature was definitely magical but it was different from any magic he had come into contact with to date. Which admittedly wasn't much but still he had learned long ago to trust his magic when it told him something.

:And you will be welcomed with open arms I am sure.: Harry finally said after a moment of thought. Hedwig was a good familiar but he didn't really have to many people to send letters to unless it was over the summer.  
>.o0o.<p>

Harry stood on the shore smiling as he watched the boat come towards Him, Ophion and Hedwig. When Nick and Perenelle landed the both got out and smiled, "who is your Friend Harry?"

"This is Ophion, he helped me out this week, Ophion this is Nick and Perenelle." Harry said, switching to pareltounge when he spoke to the snake.

Perenelle and Nick stood a moment stunned as they heard the boy actually start hissing at the snake. "You speak Parseltounge!" Nick said in excitement. The gift was so rare he had only ever encountered it a few timed in his life.

Harry looked up and said, "if that's what talking to snakes is called then yeah I guess."

Perenelle thought for a moment before saying, "you might want to keep that under wraps for the moment dear, the last speaker was Voldemort and he didn't leave with that good of a reputation."

Harry nodded in understanding. :who is this flight from death?: the snake asked curiously.

:Voldemort is a dark wizard who terrorized my homeland a few years back: Harry explained.

:Bah, what should it matter that the last speaker was a darkling. Parselmagic has always been strong in both the healing and battle arts!:

:Wow really tha-: Harry cut off at the cough from his master and looked up sheepishly, "Sorry I was explaining who Voldemort was and Ophion is of the opinion that it shouldn't matter who the last speaker was. He says parselmagic has always been at the center of the healing and battle arts."

Nick nodded, "this is true, snakes have ever been symbols of both healing and death. Which brings me to my next question, what does all is one and one is all mean?"

Harry took a deep breath and began his explanation, "I am the one and the universe and all that are in it is the all. It is the cycle of life that at some point we are two parts of a separate whole spread throughout the All and then we become one as we are born and when we die we become part of the all again when we decay and die. The universe works in this cycle of push and pull you cannot gain without giving something in return." Harry said confidently.

Nick and Perenelle both smirked. "Even more thorough than my own answer, good you will need that sharp mind moving forward child. Come, we have work to do." Nick said holding out his hand. Harry took it and again disappeared from the island to the mansion.


	3. Chapter 3:The First Law Explained

**AN:** Sorry this took so long I hit some writers block here on how to proceed. I have been able to talk it through with a friend and have an outline for the next few chapters but I thought I would get this up since I was taking so long. Hope you enjoy

**Chapter Three: The First Law Explained**

they appeared in the middle of the entrance hall. On the marble floor was a seal of a lion over a diamond in a circle. To the right looked to be a hall of rooms and stairs that led to the second floor and to the left looked to be a dining hall.

"wow this place looks awesome!" Harry said excitedly looking around.

:I like it, it's warm.: Ophion hissed calmly.

Nicholas smiled, "Perenelle and I made it from the sand and stone we found here. We didn't choose this island just because it was isolated, but also the alchemical properties of the island. There is a high concentration of crystals and diamond here, as well as iron and other raw minerals. All necessary for the research we do, have been doing for the past few centuries." He explained as he showed Harry around. They had entered the hallway with bedrooms. "Your room shall be here" he said indicating the one at the end of the hall. "And we are in the one across the hall. The alchemy workshop is downstairs and the second floor is our library and a relaxation area. The fourth floor upstairs holds the more advanced texts and research material but you will not gain access t to that until much later in the apprenticeship. For now make yourself comfortable. I will be downstairs preparing the magic reading ritual and Perenelle will be in the library."

Harry nodded and entered the room. He gasped as he looked around. The room was done in a very earthy theme with lots of greens and browns. There was a desk and a bookcase to the right and to the left was a window facing the west side of the island showing the ocean. There were also two doors to the left of the bed on the back wall. Harry walked over and opened the first closest to the bed revealing a walk in closet, the second was a large and opulent bathroom, and there was a perch for Hedwig near the window. Harry looked to Ophion and smiled at the snake. : Do you want me to see if they will get you something to live in?: he asked shyly.

The snake shook his head and said, :no I am content to live with you in this room. It is rather cozy compared to my last dwelling.:

Harry nodded and opened the window for Hedwig to fly in and out off and decided it would be best to change and shower before the ritual he was about to take part in. he went to his trunk and pulled out a green T he had baught on his trip with Hagrid along with some jeans and went and took a shower.

When that was done he looked to Ophion and Hedwig and said, "I'm going to go watch Master Flamel prepare the ritual do you guys want to come?"

Hedwig ruffled her feathers in a way that Harry took to mean no and Ophion simply wrapped himself around Harry's arm in answer. Harry smiled fondly and walked down the hall to the entryway and down the steps to the Lab. Harry entered to see Nick drawing an array on the ground in white chalk. The room they were in was lit by a large chandelier that hung from the high ceiling. There were many stone tables around the room and along the walls where jars and samples of different materials as well as different arrays printed in black ink that all looked like they used a similar set of runes.

The array that Edward was drawing looked different in that it seemed to use a different rune set along with not having any shapes besides the outer circle which was also made out of a string of the symbols as well. Nick smiled when he saw the curious child looking at the circle. "This is an old Japanese ritual that the monks and magi of the east have been using for ages. It is not Alchemy but magic. It forces your aura to show and separate into its parts. It purifies you of any foreign magic along with revealing what magicks will come natural to you." Nick said motioning the boy over.

Harry walked forward and looked over the seal, "You said that this was magic and not Alchemy, is there a difference?" Harry asked kindly.

"in a sense there is and there isn't." Nick said rubbing his temple as he thought. "I was raised an alchemist, it is what I was taught as a small child and what I grew to know and love as my art, as my life. There are certain non-magicals who have the ability to do Alchemy. These are what we would call squibs. I was born in a time when France had no manageable magical government and was actually one of the founders of Frances if you can believe it. I was a muggle born but since there was no country wide wards to detect such things as there is now I did not know of the other branches of magic until much later in life." Nick said and looked at Harry who was nodding in understanding, made sense to him. "I'm getting off topic we can explore the beginnings of the magical world as you know it later. Alchemy follows the rules and laws of science, the conservation of mass and the law of natural providence are the main ones we go by which is summed up in the first law, nothing can be gained without giving something in return. Tell me Harry why are your transfigurations never permanent?"

Harry thought for a moment and said, "Because the magic cannot hold its state forever, it goes to Grishems first law: magic will dissipate over time no matter how strong the spell." Harry said reciting one of the first lessons in both charms and transfiguration.

Nick nodded, "it is the magic that holds together the transfiguration correct?" At Harry's nod he continued his lecture. "In Alchemy we use the magical energy of the earth and our understanding of the elements to identify break down and rearrange the elements in what it is you are trying to transmute. This process is different than transfiguration how?" Nick asked, again making Harry think instead of just spoon feeding the answers to him.

Harry thought for a moment before answering. "Instead of simply masking the thing in a field of magical energy you are using the energy to rearrange things and making it permanent through the use of true scientific processes." Harry said firmly.

Nick smiled, "Very good Harry. Now can you identify the equivalent exchange that makes magic not a circumventing of the law of equivalent exchange?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry thought for a moment before closing his eyes and searching his mind for the answer, something he did in grade school even when he had to dumb down his test scores to satisfy his relatives. He began to think the process out loud so Nick could correct him, he liked having someone to help him think things through but could never get that kind of help normally, Hermione would just interrupt him the few times he had tried it with her and Ron would Fall asleep, "equivalent exchange teaches that nothing can be gained without giving something in return. All magic is in some way related to the manipulation of natural energy weather that energy is within or without. Therefore we Give energy and Receive the desired effect, weather that be transforming a mouse into a tea-cup or lifting a quill."

Nick smiled and nodded happily. "Exactly right, you have a good head on your shoulders Harry. What was that thing you did when you close your eyes, I could feel a small spike in your magic?" he asked curiously.

Harry looked at Nicholas and worried his bottom lip a little and blushed, "I don't know it's something I have been doing since grade school. I just kind of allow the question to roll around in my mind and try and connect the context knowledge. I see it as a kind of web in my mind going from the question through the various answers I can come up with." Harry said simply.

:Harry what you just described is a form of Oclumency!: Ophion hissed from his arm.

Nick raised an eyebrow and looked to Harry for a translation, "He, he said what I did was a type of Oclumency, though I don't know what that is." Harry said nervously.

Nick nodded, "yeah that sounds about right, Oclumency is a branch of magic dealing with the mind, it has a multitude of functions ranging from organizing your mind as you do for brief periods it would seem when dealing with a particularly trying question or defending your mind from intruders. I had intended to teach you this art but it would seem you are a natural at it."

Harry blushed, never before had he received such praise from his teachers or anyone really but in the space of an hour Nick had complimented him a heck of a lot. Before Harry could respond Perenelle came down the steps with a quill and parchment in hand, her blond hair tied in a high pony tail.

"Everything ready boys?" she asked setting down the quill and parchment on what looked like a smaller version of the seal on the ground on one of the stone tables.

Nick looked over the seal for a moment before nodding, "Yes we are," he said kindly before looking to Harry, "we will continue this discussion after the ritual. Ophion if you would kindly join us on the outside of the ritual circle," Nick said holding out his arm for the snake to crawl up. Ophion bobbed his head and slithered up Nicks arm. He had to repress a shiver as he inadvertently thought of Envy when he was in Shembala. "Now if there is foreign magic in your body it may hurt a little bit during the extraction. I have added a rune line to lessen the pain and in some cases null it out completely."

Harry nodded and braced himself. Nick pulled out his wand and waived it over the seal and started chanting in Japanese. As the magic swirled from his wand and started to wrap around Harry his back arched and he started letting out a silent scream. Nick and Perenelle looked at each other in shock. That wasn't supposed to happen. The magic flared and an inky blackness started seeping out of the scar on Harry's forehead.

Again the two of them were stunned at that. They had consulted with Dumbledore when he asked them if the rebounded killing curse could leave residual magic that might affect Harry's own magic but they didn't know it would be this serious. They could both detect that this was a similar darker version of what Edward had done with Alphonse but instead of bonding the soul to an object like it was supposed to, instead this seemed to have leached onto Harry's magic like some parasitic Chimera abomination. Perenelle pulled out her own wand and shot a killing curse at the thing. It disappeared instantly. Once the dark magic was gone Harry's aura sprung to life, a bright vibrant gold with tendrils of green and purple. The parchment on the table was suddenly shaking and then the quill started writing.

_Mage level potential  
>current level Novice Wizard<br>60% Gold: Primary magic Battle  
>25% Green: Secondary Life Parsel Magic<br>15% Purple: Supplementary Mind Magic_

Perenelle nodded to Nick and he cut the spell off. Harry's aura faded back to the unseen spectrum and he slipped to the floor panting slightly. "That was intense." Harry said in ragged breaths. "what was that in the beginning it felt like my mind was on fire?" he asked standing up and whipping the sweat from his forehead.

Nick and Perenelle looked at each other in concern debating whether to tell but it was taken out of their hands as Ophion spoke up, :it would seem you had the piece of a darkling soul stuck to your own leaching off of you, my guess is it was that flight from death you where speaking about earlier.:

Harry looked equal parts relieved and horrified at the revelation as he looked to Nick and Perenelle "is that true?" he asked forgetting for a moment that neither could speak snake.

From the look on his face and the tone of his voice they could tell what the snake had seid but to be sure Nick asked him to clarify.

"That a piece of Voldemort's soul was leaching off my own?" Harry asked.

Perenelle sighed and said "it would seem that is the case. We had no idea that the backlash from surviving the killing curse would be that. Like we have been saying all life is about equivalent exchange a life for a life. Your mother sacrificed herself to erect an ancient ward around yourself but the magic of the killing curse required death too so it decided Voldemort would be that sacrifice. Sadly instead of dying like he should it seems that Voldemort had already split his soul so much that the curse only killed a part of him and the left over attached itself to you. Hopefully now that we have destroyed that soul piece he will be gone."

Harry nodded, though something in the back of his mind told him that this would not be the end of it and walked over to where Perenelle and Nick where looking at the parchment. "Looks like I was right, you have a natural talent for mental magic, my guess is because of that thing that was sapping your magic. Your mind and magic probably worked together to form a natural barrier around it and you gained an affinity for mind magic." Nick said tapping the purple line.

Harry nodded and scrunched up his brow in distress, "I don't see alchemy on there does that mean I wont be able to learn it?" he asked worriedly.

Perenelle chuckeld and patted his back, "do not worry yourself Harry, Alchemy deals with mostly external magic, so it wouldn't show up on here. But your natural talent with mind magics and battle magic indicates that you may have talent in alchemy."

Nick nodded and smiled, "Like I said before the alchemic arts can even be learned by squibs and some muggles who have squib level magic in them. you just have to be able to connect yourself to the flow of external energy and viola you have alchemy." he said happily then scrunched his face at his own simplistic explanation of the art, "well it's a bit more complicated then that I'd say but simple enough analogy."

Perenelle nodded, "though we wont be able to teach you much on parsel magic. We have a journal from Salazar Slytherin on parsel magic, as well as a few scrolls we found in a few different temples in Greece but they are all written in the language of the snake. You will have to study that one on your own." She said with a kind smile.

:I shall help the boy with his study into my creatures art. Do not worry Gate Wanderer.: Ophion hissed and Harry translated.

"What does he mean gate wanderer?" Harry asked curiously.

Nick coughed and looked at Perenelle uncomfortably but his wife saved him by saying, "we shall tell you our full tale in time Harry but not just yet alright?"

Harry nodded in acceptance. One thing he had learned from the Dursley family was that if an adult told you something they meant what they said, even if it was a lie, they still meant to say it.


	4. Chapter 4: Friends and Transmutations

**AN:** this will be the last summer chapter, I wanted to show some of Harry's Progress and that his friends would be coming over. next chapter will be a week before school starts.

Since the muse seems to be staying with me on this one i will now ask that if any one wants to Beta for this story send me a PM and we can talk

Chapter 4: Friends and Transmutations

It had been a week since the end of the school year and the start of his Apprenticeship and if Harry had learned one thing it was this; Runes where annoying and Ophion was even more of a taskmaster than the Flamels even with Nick's insistence that he do physical exercise every morning before breakfast and every evening dinner. His schedule while not packed was still pretty rigorous. Every morning he would wake up with the sun and do a few laps around the house with Nick and Perenelle and then Nick would teach him martial arts on the front lawn. After that there was breakfast and then learning what Perenelle called Practical Magic, which could be anything from house cleaning spells to low level battle magic. After lunch Edward would teach him history, magical and muggle, Runes, and science until three and then Harry would work with Ophion for two hours learning to read parcel tongue but he refused to allow him to perform any of the spells. He said he needed to "shed his skin a few more times before he delved into messing with someone else's body."

Today though Harry was excited because he would be performing his first transmutation. Nicholas had been drilling elements and element detection into his head all week along with the first three laws. Harry now sat in the lab while Perenelle and Nicholas stood in front of a black board and Ophion was wrapped around Harry's arm.

"Today is your first test Harry. Recite for me the first three Laws of Alchemy and explain them." Nicholas said calmly.

"The first Law of Alchemy is Equivalent exchange; nothing can be gained without something of equal value being lost. This ties into the second and third law. The second law being that of Conservation of mass, if you are to transmute one cube exactly four by four by four and one pound in weight I would only be able to rearrange the molecules with that amount of material in ways that stay within that set of dimensions" Harry took a breath before continuing, "The Third Law of Alchemy is the Law of Natural Providence stating that the atoms the object is made of cannot be changed only the molecules and only within the limits of that which the atoms allow." Harry finished with a smile.

Nicholas nodded, "Good now describe the process by which an alchemist and transmutation circle works together to achieve the goal."

"Comprehension, Destruction and Reconstruction, the Alchemist uses mind magic to scan what he is about to transmute and understand it's physical properties then using the circle and runes there in the alchemist awakens and sends natural energy through the array deconstructing and reconstructing the atoms of the object into the desired shape." Harry responded calmly.

Nicholas nodded and held out a piece of chalk and a cube of wood, "create for me a simple toy any shape you wish with the transmutation circle I showed you yesterday afternoon."

Harry nodded and took the chalk and cube of wood and drew out the array on the table under the block of wood, a circle with two triangles and the elemental symbols on the pinnacles with the water and earth symbols larger than the others symbolizing wood. Harry took a calming breath and fixed the desired shape he wanted the toy to take in his mind, taking into account how much matter he had to work with he placed his hand on the array and let the magic flow through him and connect with the magic of the array, a show of magical discharge and the block of wood was no longer a simple cube but now it was a small statue of Hedwig, her wings spread wide ready to take flight.

Nick and Perenelle stepped forward to inspect the creation before them. After a moment Nick stood and clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder with a smile, "Wonderful work lad, now try it again on the stone table."

Harry nodded and again drew the circle this time with only the symbol for earth taking prominence. He thought of what he wanted to make and nodded to himself before clapping his hands down on the circle another show of sparks and in a small bowl now created in the table a small figurine of Ophion appeared. The snake slithered up and hissed out :my eyes are not that angry: indignantly.

Harry chuckled and hissed back :you are always glaring my friend deal with it:

Perenelle stepped forward this time to inspect and nodded with a smile, "Very good Harry. you seem to be a natural at this."

Nicholas nodded, "Next week you will be doing a much larger transmutation on something a bit harder, sand. For now let's look at a different branch of alchemy than we have previously explored." He said taking out a piece of chalk and drawing a strange transmutation circle on the board where fire was the only symbol along with a salamander underneath the triangle array. The triangles themselves were also more complex than Harry had seen; two larger triangles encompassed nine other triangles. "Can you tell me what this transmutation circle would be used for?"

Harry thought for a moment going back through all of his lessons and nodded, "transmuting gasses and condensing them to create whips of fire or explosions?" Harry said after a moments thought.

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, "Explain your reasoning."

"The first clue is the symbol for fire, now this could hold any meaning from simple energy transmutation to outright creating fore but the nine triangle formation lends the next clue. The nine triangles represent the nine most present elements in the air at any given time. And finally we have the salamander at the bottom of the triangle, salamanders in the magical world have long since been creatures of fire and explosions."

"Wow I stared at this circle for months on end and didn't get what it could all mean you just deduced it in less than a minute, Roy would be proud." Nicholas said after a moment of stunned silence.

Harry smiled broadly until Nick through an erasure at his head, "Don't let it get to your head kid, theory and practical application are totally different concepts. Now let us begin to break down the elements found in the air around us." With that the two of them where lost in a lecture of math and higher chemistry for the foreseeable future. Perenelle decided she would go prepare Harry's surprise for latter and dissaperated.

.o0o.

A few hours later Harry sat in the library with a bowl of chips and a copy of Edward Abott's Flatland. He had seen it one day while perusing the library. It wasn't something he would have usually picked up but the way Ophion had described the plot to him made him pick it up and now he finally had the free time to read it. Ophion was sitting on the back of his winged chair reading along with him.

: aren't you done with that page yet? I finished it ages ago.: the snake complained.

: There is a second copy around here somewhere you know.: Harry replied.

:No hands child, don't be rude.: the snake hissed back flicking his tongue out to swipe at the page Harry was still reading turning it and proving he didn't need hands anyway.

Harry jumped at the chuckle behind him and turned to see Nicholas standing there, "From the look on your face I would say the two of you are arguing?"

Harry just gave a derisive grunt, "So what's up Master?"

"Told you once I tell you again, call me Nick, no need to be so formal in our own home, and come on Nelly has a surprise for you down stairs." Nick said snatching the book ignoring the indignant hiss from the snake and setting it on the table beside the chair Harry was sitting in.

Harry jumped up and as had become his habit held out his hand for Ophion to climb up. They went down stairs and Harry was almost bowled over by a bushy ball of brown hair.

"Ho Hermione." Harry said excited to see his friend, he looked over her head and spotted Ron and smiled "Hey Ron!"his smile faltered a bit when he noticed Ron staring at his shoulder and that he was a bit more pale than usual.

"Wu-what's that Harry?" Ron asked pointing to Harry.

Hermione looked up and noticed Ophion as well and skittered back, "Why is there a snake on your shoulder?" she asked.

Harry smiled and said, "This is Ophion, he's a friend of mine. It turns out I can speak parsel tongue."

"Really what's it like?" "Grah Evil!" Hermione and Ron said at the same time. Ron scrabbled back while Hermione surged forward to interrogate Harry.

Nick raised an eyebrow at Ron and said, "And what makes you think that your friend" he put emphises on the word, "is evil just because he can speak to snakes?"

Ron looked at Nick as if he had grown a second head, "Well anyone who can speak to snakes is evil, Salazar Slytherin and Voldemort both spoke it." he said as if that closed the matter.

Nick sighed and said crossly, "Parsel tongue and parsel magic have been around long before your wayward school founder and that bastard, in ancient Greece Parsel speakers where attendants in the temple of Apollo and Hermes, healers and warriors. Magic in and of itself is not evil Mr. Weasley it is how we use that magic and the choices we make that are for good or for evil. Remember that boy."

Ron gulped and nodded his head vigerously, "So how did you find out you could speak to snakes Harry?" Ron asked nervously stepping forward.

"I came across Ophion during my first exam when I got here on this island in the middle of the lake at the top of the mountain." Harry said, "but come on I want to show you what I did this morning," he said excitedly then looked to Nick, "Can I show them the lab Nick?"

"Sure just don't mess with any of the arrays. Dinner will be in an hour."


	5. Chapter 5: Summer Interlude

Chapter 5:Summer interlude

**AN: **Sorry for taking so long everyone but life has been hectic. I know this is short but with everything going on my muse has been rather silent lately. After this chapter I will be time skipping to the beginning of the second year. remember to Review and leave reviews more substantial than asking for me to update or say good chapter. Give me details people let me know what you liked and didn't like.

Hermione stood looking at the aura revealing array on the floor while Harry showed Ron some of the transmutations he had done. Perenelle smiled at the top of the stairs. With them Harry was all professional and older acting but it warmed her heart to see him let go and be a kid with his two best friends. She smiled warmly at Hermione; the young genius was a lot like she had been with learning auto-mail with her grandmother. She walked up and leaned over "So what do you think that seal is for?" she asked quietly.

Hermione jumped for a moment then smiled shyly. "I don't know we never got into Asian magical history." She mumbled.

Perenelle smiled and stood up a little straighter and looked over to where Ron and Hermione where, "Boys come over here," she said Harry smiled and motioned Ron to come over and bounded over, "alright Harry explain to your friends what this is and what it does."

Harry nodded excitedly, "This is an eastern ritual circle that reveals the magical potential and what magic a person is most geared towards." Harry said proudly.

"Very good Harry, which of you two would like to go first?" she said slyly looking at Harry's friends. Hermione's eyes lit up like lanterns in the dark at the thought of being able to focus her studies. She and Ron looked at each other and Ron in a rare moment of wisdom decided to let Hermione take the first go at the array.

Perenelle smiled and motioned for the excited girl to move up and stand in the center. Perenelle moved her wand in the same complex pattern around Hermione and muttering a long string of ancient Japanese. Unlike with Harry there was no foreign magic sapping onto her so her aura sprung to life instantly responding to the seal. Vibrant shades of purple, with tendrils of silver and a lighter gold than Harry's had been.

Perenelle cut of the spell when the parchment on the table was clear.

The four magicals gathered around to read

_Magic Potential: Grand Sorceress  
>Current Level: Novice Witch<br>70% Purple: Primary Mind Magic  
>20% Silver: Secondary light magic<br>10% Gold: Suplamentary Defensive magic_

"What does it all mean?" she asked excitedly.

"well your magical potential is that of a grand sorceress which is the highest level in the third tier of magic user, the tiers being Witch/ Wizard, Warlock/ Shaman, Sorcerer/ Sorceress, and finally Mage, Magus being gender neutral. Harry has the potential to become a mage if you were wondering what his potential was. Your primary magic is mind magic which covers a whole bunch of different branches but most prominent is Oclumency and Ligilimency, your secondary is light magic which combined with your supplementary defensive magic is a great combination to learn the Paladin magics, things like summoning righteous spirits to help defend against the dark and the patronus." Perenelle explained with a kind smile.

Hermione was smiling but then her face faltered a moment, "Wait hasn't the Paladin magic been lost since the Vatican destroyed all record of the church ever having worked with witches and wizards in the crusades?" she asked remembering reading that in their assignment for magic history of the summer.

"The practice of it sure but some families and libraries have a few scrolls. I know for a fact that Hogwarts has Gryffindor's scroll stashed away somewhere." Nick said as he walked down the stairs "and anyways Paladin magic is just what it became known by, each culture has their Holy warriors, Shinto and Chinese Buddhist priests where doing 'Paladin' magic long before the twelve knights of Charlemagne coined the name. And don't worry too much about that now you are still young, there is time enough to learn these later. All you need to focus on for now is learning the basics of these magics and mastering them." Nick smiled at the girl and patted her back.

Perenelle looked to Ron and motioned for him to go forward. Ron nervously stepped up to the seal and waited as Perenelle again chanted in Chinese and waived her wand over the redhead. His aura flared Red filled with light blue and orange strands mixed in.

_Magic Potential Grand Sorcerer  
>70% Red Primary conjuration magic<br>20% Blue Secondary Charms Magic  
>10% orange Enchantment magic<em>

Nick gave a low whistle as he looked over Ron's results. "Looks like you are good for warding or curse breaking, much like your brother am I right mister Weasly?"

Ron nodded and Nick smiled in response "Well then you would do well to learn from your brother in the near future. For now though lets go have dinner shall we?"

with that the friends all went up stairs talking excitedly about their magical affinities and research they could do later. Well Harry and Hermione anyway, Ron was focused on the food.

.o0o.

The rest of the summer went by in a similar manner with the two friends coming over every other weekend and training with Harry while Harry was taught the finer points of Alchemy, science and Magic. By his Birthday Harry had mastered medium scale transmutations to where he could quickly draw arrays with magic and then transmute in a matter of seconds and he was well on his way to mastering Oclumency and beginning level mind magic. Ophion had also allowed him to start using diagnostic spells in parsel tongue and he had been able to master the basic one that gave a read on the person's vitals and showed any injury that may have occurred internally.

Harry woke up slowly on July 31 and realized that it wasn't Ophion or his master that woke him up as usual but the sun flitting through the curtains in his window. _That's odd, they let me sleep in._ Harry thought as he stood and went to get dressed. He looked at the clock on his wall and noticed it was nearly ten o'clock. _Ok someone has to be sick they never let me sleep in especially this late._Harry thought getting dressed and running down stairs. He dodged a wrench flying through the air and looked to see Perenelle in the clothes she usually wore around the house, a black tube top with blue jeans and a red bandana to hold back her hair, glaring at him, with hands on the hips "I don't care if it is your birthday no running down the stairs!" she demanded angrily then pulled a one eighty and smiled kindly at him, "Now come on Diddy made Belgian Waffles with strawberries and cream." She said pulling him by the arm into the family dining room where indeed there was a plate filled with the confectionary goodness that was waffles and strawberry. Harry looked at the table warily. They had kept him on a pretty strict diet of healthy good food for someone his age. It was a regimen they hadn't strayed from since his stint on the island.

"Who are you and what have you done with my teachers?" he asked looking at Nick and Perenelle, Nick having started to dig into his blueberry waffles the moment the raven haired boy stepped into the room.

Nick beamed and said, "it's your birthday kid sit down relax and enjoy the day off." Though he said it with a mouth full so it came out more like "I birf'ay ki I dow lax joy dayf" Harry grimaced and Perry pulled another wrench out of nowhere and slammed it on Nick's head for his bad manners.

"What my husband was trying to say was it's your birthday and you have been working rather hard so sit down and relax you have the day off." She said shoving him into the chair and sitting next to him in front of the plate full of banana waffle.

After the hearty breakfast Nick took Harry into the living room where there was a stack of presents waiting for him, "From Ron, Hermione, the Weasly twins and me and Perry. Although I would check the Twins package from some of the tales you have told me I wouldn't put it past them to booby trap theirs."

Harry quickly went over and grabbed the one on top which was from Hermione. Unwrapping it he smiled at the book entitled _Magic Culture Around the World and their History_. Next he came to Ron's a box of chocolates and a broom cleaning kit. He scanned the package from the twins and found a color changing spell on the wrapping that would activate when he opened it directed at his hair. Nick gave a simple waive of the hand and dissipated it. He opened it to find various and assorted prank products from Zonkos and a few labeled _Prototype _with a note asking Harry to test them on Ron for the twins. Harry smiled evilly as he thought of the pranks he could pull the next time Ron was over. Harry then moved to the gift from Nick and Perry and took off the wrapping. At first it took him a moment to figure out what it was but smiled when he realized it was a rune covered laptop. "Wow this is amazing, will it really work around magic?" he asked excitedly.

Perenelle nodded, "Took me a while to finish up the research but I finally got it last week. It is loaded with a word processor for your assignments and a list of spells I want you to master by the end of the summer before you go back to school." She said mock seriously.

Nick cracked a smile and said, "don't worry I also loaded it with some MMORP Games and a bunch of music I think you will like, its not all for school work."

Harry smiled back and jumped up and down to go see how it worked in the library.

Perenelle and Nick smiled as they held each other. "Makes me wish the damn stone hadn't taken our ability to reproduce when it gave you back your arm and leg." Perenelle said fondly.

Nick sighed, "Equivalent exchange Win, can't cheat life forever now can we."


End file.
